1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a tape cartridge, and more particularly, to a tape cartridge for preventing a tape from protruding from a front surface thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional tape cartridge. In FIG. 1, the tape cartridge comprises tape reels 3a and 3b rotatably enclosed at the left and the right sides of the inside of a case 1 thereof, wherein the tape reels 3a and 3b wind a magnetic recording tape 2. On the front portion of the case 1 facing a magnetic head of a recording and playing back device (not shown) during recording and playing back, pocket portions 4a and 4b, into which the magnetic head and the spindle of the recording and playing back device are respectively inserted, are formed, and a guiding member 5a is arranged at the left side of the pocket portion 4a, on the other hand, a guiding member 5b is arranged at the right hand of the pocket portion 4b. The tape 2 is taken from one of the reels, for example 3a, through the guiding member 5a, and drawn toward the front portion of the pocket portions 4a and 4b, in turn, the tape 2 is taken up by the reel 3b through the guiding member 5b in order to record or playing back a signal into or from the tape 2.
When the tape cartridge is not used and is not mounted in the recording and playing back device, a reel stopper member 6 can prevent the reels 3a and 3b from rotating so as to keep the tape 2 stretched straight between the guiding members 5a and 5b as shown in FIG. 1. However, the tape 2 tends to be slacked and easily protruded from the front surface 30 of the case 1, because of the play of the reels 3a and 3b in the circumferential direction thereof, and because the wound tape 2 onto the reels 3a and 3b is loosened from the roll of the tape 2. The tape 2 may not be loaded properly when the tape 2 is loosened and protrudes from the front surface 30 of the case 1. In order to prevent the tape 2 from protruding from the surface 30, a pin 7 for positioning the tape running path is arranged vertically on the tape running path between the tape guiding member 5b and the reel 3b, and an elastic tape pushing member 8 made of polyester resin is arranged facing the pin 7, then the tape 2 is slidably pinched between the pin 7 and the tape pushing member 8. This prevention means has an advantage that the prevention means can certainly prevent the tape 2 from protruding occurred by the tape loosening between the reels 3a and 3b, as compared with the other methods, such as a method which prevents the tape 2 from protruding by applying a tension on the tape 2.
However, in the conventional tape cartridge comprising the aforementioned prevention means which prevents the tape 2 from protruding by pinching the tape 2, the tape 2 is always pinched between the pin 7 and the tape pushing member 8, even when the tape 2 runs, thereby the load into the tape 2 increases and the tape 2 is easily damaged when the tape 2 runs. In particular, in the future, if the tape becomes thinner, the aforementioned problems of the running load of the tape 2 and the damage to the tape 2 may result in greater problems.